Sunday Concerts:
Engegård Quartet + Pre-Concert Talk

This programme is the Engegård Quartet in a nutshell! The four quartets build upon the four pillars of the Norwegian group’s creative life. Mozart’s K589 sets the stage, following their acclaimed recording of all Mozart’s quartets. Bartók’s quartets have been an integral part of the Quartet’s repertoire throughout the last season, and the compact Third String Quartet is one of their favourites. The Norwegian singer and composer Maja Ratkje wrote ‘A Tale of Lead and Light’ for the Engegård in 2011, and this music offers a glimpse both into the composer’s sense of fear and sorrow following the terror attacks in Oslo that summer, and the hope and comfort she found in composing this quartet. Finally, Fanny Mendelssohn’s gorgeous Quartet in E flat is something the Quartet have been wanting to programme for a long time. The Quartet is working towards a festival devoted to both Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, 1-2-3 Mendelssohn, 8-10 November in Oslo.

“breathtaking” – The Strad

Mozart | Quartet No.22 in B♭ “Prussian” K.589
Bartok | Quartet No.3 Sz.85
Maja Ratkje | A Tale of Lead and Light
Fanny Mendelssohn | Quartet in E♭ H.277

Arvid Engegård • violin
Laura Custodio Sabas • violin
Juliet Jopling • viola
Jan Clemens Carlsen • cello

Pre-Concert Talk with Robert Hugill • 5:30pm

In this talk we will explore three contrasting composers and works. Bartók’s Third String Quartet was his most adventurous so far and is one of his most tightly constructed works. Maja Ratkje is a contemporary Norwegian composer and vocalist who studied at IRCAM and with Louis Andriessen, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Kaija Saariaho. Descended on both sides from distinguished Jewish families, elder sister of Felix, Fanny Mendelssohn’s musical ambitions were limited by social conventions, yet she had as her role models two musical great aunts from influential Jewish families.

Age Recommendation: All ages

Price: Standard £13 • On the door £15 • Living Support/NHS Discount £6 • Members £11 • Under 26 FREE

Access Information

Due to the age and Grade II listing of the building, there is no lift access to rooms above the ground floor.

All the ground-floor rooms are fully accessible by wheelchair. Main Hall (street access, step-free), Brockway Room (street access, step-free), Bertrand Russell Room (street access, shallow ramp), Cafe (street access, step-free). There is also an accessible toilet on the ground floor opposite the Brockway Room.

Other events that may interest you

Verona Quartet 

Bloomsbury Players with Katherine Spencer